Copywriting

I keep things simple to make your communications more powerful. 

I've written most things over the past 15 years, from speeches for Nobel laureates to direct mail campaigns that smashed their targets to national newspaper blogs that were shared around the world.

But whatever I'm working on, my thinking is the same. Focus on clarity. Make sure a single, compelling message shines through. And never lose sight of what these words need to achieve - whether that's donations, sales, stronger relationships, understanding or something completely different. I'm here to help you get noticed and get results.   

 I specialise in writing for charities and not-for-profit organisations, but I help plenty of businesses outside the charity sector make themselves heard too.

I'm also an experienced journalist, which helps with jobs like editing Oxfam's supporter magazine and Mind's membership magazine (that's me in the Mind magazine photo below). It also means I've got a lot of experience interviewing people who benefit from charities' work - so I understand what a privilege this is and how to tell people's stories with respect and sensitivity. 

 
A spread from Mind Membership News, which I write and edit for this brilliant mental health charity four times a year. 

A spread from Mind Membership News, which I write and edit for this brilliant mental health charity four times a year. 

“ Matt is a brilliant writer and a pleasure to work with. He has meticulous attention to detail but he’s also extremely creative, and manages to turn potentially uninspiring content into real gems. We’ve been delighted with everything he has produced.”
— Chloe George, Storytelling and Content Project Manager at Teenage Cancer Trust

Online copywriting training

 

I've helped hundreds of staff at charities, businesses and public organisations become better, more confident writers - face-to-face and online.

When was the last time you really stopped and thought about your writing? Or followed a structured process to get your point across in the most compelling way? I run a range of training courses to help people find the words to inspire action - with every session full of practical, easy-to-remember ideas designed to leave a lasting impression. Training is usually face-to-face, but during the pandemic I started running online courses. Now I’m happy to deliver in whichever way works best for you.

I tailor every course to make sure you get exactly what you need, but common topics include:

  • Writing digital content that stands out

  • Keeping to a consistent tone of voice

  • Structuring content to keep people reading

  • Finding the right messages for your audiences

  • Pain-free grammar.

 
Starting a training session by challenging CLIC Sargent staff to write a six-word story, inspired by Ernest Hemingway's 'For sale: baby shoes, never worn'.

Starting a training session by challenging CLIC Sargent staff to write a six-word story, inspired by Ernest Hemingway's 'For sale: baby shoes, never worn'.

“Matt was brilliant - the course was interactive, enjoyable and taught at a good pace.

Great - very engaging, Matt held my attention all day.”
— Feedback from training delegates, October 2016

Messaging

 

If you want to stand out, messaging matters.  

I'll take you through a proven, step-by-step process to find compelling messages that your audience will notice and respond to.

I've worked on messaging for organisations including Oxfam, Amnesty International, MQ and CLIC Sargent, and for digital agency White October and tech and finance companies. I start by exploring what really sets you (or your campaign) apart, speaking to a range of staff and, ideally, customers, and studying your competitors. 

From there, I work with you to shape the rationale and messaging that define what you offer - and which can naturally be used across all of your communications channels.  

 
 
Messaging I developed for digital product studio White October. The White October team help organisations to challenge assumptions and trust evidence. 

Messaging I developed for digital product studio White October. The White October team help organisations to challenge assumptions and trust evidence. 

“We’ve worked with Matt on client work and our own messaging over the past three years. We’ve been delighted by his professionalism and versatility, in particular his customer-centric approach, which is a real match for the way we like to work. He fits well into teams and has a positive, practical approach to complex projects and clients: he’s a real delight to work with.”
— Dave Fletcher, CEO of digital product studio White October